Sultry Georgia beckons visitors with a mix of folksy charm and state-of-the-art attractions. It may seem odd to make a connection between corn mazes and astronauts, but it’s just that type of unexpected juxtaposition that makes Georgia such an intriguing destination. Space Farm 7, a collaboration between NASA and Rock Ranch, a working cattle farm, combines agri-tourism and space exploration in celebration of NASA’s 50th anniversary. The Peach State has both extravagant architecture, such as the magnificent Italian villa style Hills and Dales Estate in LaGrange, and primitive natural beauty, as can be found in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, where boating tours through the swamp reveal a vast wilderness of islands, lakes, jungles and prairies. Foodies flock to the annual Taste of Atlanta festival, where 3 stages feature live cooking shows, competitions and beverage seminars. Georgia has a rich musical heritage and is the birthplace of rhythm and blues icons like Little Richard and Otis Redding, and contemporary alternative heroes such as R.E.M. and Widespread Panic. The Mountain Music and Medicine Show at the historic Holly Theater in Dahlonega features live music in an 1800s Gold Rush setting. Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta has received the Magnet Recognition for Nursing Excellence three times, which ranks it among the top one percent of hospitals in the country.